Tire.



PATENTED MAR. 19, 1907.

J; M. SHEPARD.

TIRE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1905.

(4414 11/11 v III/I JAMES MILLER SHEPARD, OF FINDLAY, OHIO.

TiRE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 19, 1907.

Application filed November 29, 1905- Serial No. 289,679

To all wlwnb. it may (:(IILlt'I'H: 7

Be it known that I, J AMES Mnmnn Sunrat Findlay, in the county ofHancock and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Tire, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to tires for automobiles andthe like vehicles, though perhaps adaptable for advantageous use inother relations.

One of the principal objects is to provide simple and yet peculiarlyeil'ective means for securing the tire to the Rvheel-rim, so that saidtire cannot creep nor is there liabilityof the parts becoming chafcd orunduly worn.

Another and important object is to provide a' tire'wherein the casingopens on its outer side in order that the inner tube or other supportmay be removed and replaced without the necessity of detaching thecasing from the wheel, and in this connection a further feature residesin the provision of novel means for securing the tread member over thecasing, so that the outer joint. thereof is completely protected. 7

An embodiment of the invention that is at present considered thepreferable one is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and isdescribed in the following claii'ns. An inspection of the claims willshow, however, that said invention is not limited tothis one disclosure.

1n the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a wheeland a portion of the improved tire located thereon. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional view through the same. Fig. 3 is across-sectional view. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of the treadmember. Fig; 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the links of saidtread member.

Similar reference-numerals designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

In the embodiment illustrated a portion of a wheel-rim 6 is disclosed,which is carried by spokes 7. The structure of the rim and wheel isnotimportant and may be varied, as desired, the rim, however, having theusual annular clnuinel 8. A casing 9, curved on its inner side toconform to the channel 8, has said inner side located .in the channel.

fiat outer fade 10. over, is provided with a longitudinaljoint 11,

1 face. ,lts outer side is thickened and provided with a Said outerside, more-' 13,-carried by one of the inner portions of the I sections,overlaps the JOlIlt between said sec- ARI), a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing tions, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Located 1 within thecasing is a suitable air-tube 14,

constituting the usual support for said casing, and this air-tube isremovable through the outer side. The structure thus far describedconstitutes a yielding tire-body which will absorb the shocks and jarsincident to travel.

For-the purpose of'sec 'ing the above described tire-body to thd rim 6 aclampingstrip 15 is employed, which is interposed between the inner sideof the casing and the inner side of the tubular support 14, conformingin cross-sectional configuration to the same. This strip. is preferablymade of metal, and in order to prevent its wearing the casing and innertube it preferably has a sheathing or protective covering 16 of suit--able cushioning material, such as fabric. Bolts 17 have heads 18countersunk in the strip, said bolt-s passing through the inner side ofthe casing 9 and through the rim 6 between the spokes. By this means itwill be seen that the tire-body is eiliciently secured to the wheel-rimand is positively held against crce ping. At the same time the positionand arrangement of the clamping strip and bolts does not interfere withthe removal or replacement of the inner tube l t, and said inner tubecan thus be passed through the outer side of the casing without thenecessity of removing the latter. Also it will be evident that the stripand the bolts carried thereby can also be passed through said outerside.

Surrounding the yielding tire-body and bearing against the outer llatside 10 of the casing is a tread member which is composed of a series ofhinged or pivotally-connccted links. Each link comprises a transverseantislipping-bur 19, provided on its opposite sides with a series ofcars 20, the cars 20 of one link interi it 1 ing with those of theadjacent links and being pivoted thereto by rivets or other suit-abledevices 21.

It will be observed by reference to Figs. 1 and 2 that the outer sidesof the ears terminate short of the outer sides of .the.ba1's,leav ingspaces between said bars and forming a roughened nntislipping orantiskidding sur- (ertain of the links are provided withinwardly-oxtending cars 22-, and any number oi these cars may beemployed, is desired,

depending, of course, on the size and character of the tire.

Each section 12 1 10 In the present instance two 1 sets. of ears areshown.

versely through the sections, also pass through the cars, as shown inFig. 3. These bolts thus constitute not only nieans for securing thetread member to the casing, but also act as means for fastening .thesections of the outer wall of the casing together, thus securelymaintaining the joint between said sections in closed conditi n.Suitable washers are preteral'ily arranged at the ends of the bolts andserve toprevent the heads and nuts from being drawn into the material ofthe casing.

The circular clamp hoop or hinder i5 is an important ieatu re in that itnot only eonstitutes, in connection with the bolts, a secure fastener,but thatit is entirely outof the way, particularly so in connection withthe joint in the outer sidoof the casing which, as already described,permits the passage of the inner tube without the necessity of removingthe tire from the wheel. At the same time it wil be observed that thisjoint is completely covered and protected by the tread member, andcommon means are 0111* .Iployed for holding said tread number in placeand-the joint in closed condition.

in View of the flexible structure of the tread member the yielding ofthe tire-body is not materially interfered with, and thereby a punctureproof durable tire is provided liaving in addition the desirablequalities of the pneumatic tire.

Frointhe foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, andmany advantages of the hcrein-described invention will stood thatvarious changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing twin of the invention.

ters Patent, is

1. In a tire, the combination with a yield ing tire-body having an outerside provided with spaced sockets, of a\ tread nicml'ier having spacedcars located lll l lit sockcis, and fastening devices passingtraiisvcrseiy through the outer side ol' the body and through the cars,each fastening device pas. ing through a plurality ol' the cars.

2. in a tire, the combination with a casing having an outer sectionalside, ol' a ti'cad ineinbcr iiiountcd on the outer side and comprising aseries ol' pivotallya-oniiected links,

, posite sides of the joint, ol' a. tr ad member mounted on the outerside, said tread incinbcr bridging the oint. between the sectionsthereof, and having ears engaging in the sockets on opposite sides ofthe ointand 11108118 for fastening the tread member to the outer side.

4'. in a. tire, the combination with ii casing having an outer sectionalside, the sections ol said side being provided with sockets on oppositesides of the joint, of a tread member mounted on the outer side, saidtread member bridging the joint between the sections thereof, and havingcars engaging in the sockets on o 'iposite sides oi" the joint, andtransverse, locking-holts passing through the sectional side across thejoint between the sections theriaif and engaging the cars that arelocated in the sockets.

5. In a tire, the combination with a yielding tire-body having an outerside provided with spaced sockets, of a tread inciiiber having spacedcars located in the sockets, and bolts passing transversely through theouter side oi the body and through the cars.

ti. in a tire, the combination with a casing having an outer sectionalside, the sections ol said side being provided nilb sockets, of a treadnieinbcr comprising a series ol pivotbe apparent to those skilled in theart witliout further description, and it will be under ally-conncctedlinks, ccriaiu oi said links having iiiwin'dl -extending cars that arelo rated in the sockets, and lastcncrs passing said tread inciiiborbridging the joint be f tween the sections of the side and having cer Etain links interlocked with both sections, other links between saidinterlocked links being disposed out of interlocking engagement withsaid sectional side and l'iistcning transversely through he sections ol.l he outer side and through the cars. the spirit or sacrificing any ofthe advantages In a tire, the combination with :i using having an outerthickened sidicomposed of Having thus described my invention, what 1claim as now, and desire to secure by hctstudious, of an air-lubearranged within the fusing and removable through the outer side thercol,a clampiug-strip interposed between the inner side of tl air-tube andthe inner side ol' the casing and having bolts passing through saidcasing, the scctloiis of the outer thicken d side ol' the casing havingsockets, i. tread incnibcr comprising a. series oi piv- )lzill \-'illil(til((l links, certain of said links having inwardhywxlending earsarranged in ing tii'cdiod having sockets in its outer side.

ol' trcn'l nicnibcr surrounding thc body,

said nicniocr comprising a series ol links t'mlil mfiiitl oi transversebars and cars cxtcuding on opposite sides oi' the bars, the cars ol ISOone link interfitting with and being pivoted .t'othe ears of the linknext adjacent, certain of said links also having inwardly-extending earslocated in the sockets, and fasteners comprisingh series of links, eachlink consisting of a cross-bar extending the full width of the link andhaving oppositely-extending ears that project from the opposite edges ofthe \cross-b'ar' and terminate short of the outer side of saidcross-bar, the ears of one link being pivotally interlocked with th earsof the next adjacent link, leaving the crossbars spaced apart andprojecting to provide an antislippi'ngroughened surface on the tire.

10. In a tire, the combination with a casing having a'sect'ional outerwall, of a tread member extending over said outer wall and comprising aseries of links, each link consisting of a cross-bar having oppositel-extending ears that terminate short 0 the outer side of the cross-bar,the ears of one link being pivotally interlocked with the ears of thenext adjacent link, leaving the crossbars spaced apart andprojectingoutwardl to provide an antislippmg roughened tread surface on,the tire, said cross-bars of the links having inwardly-extending earsbe tween their ends that engage in the sections of the outercasing-wall, and means engaging said ears to hold the same in lace andsecure the sections of the wall toget er.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES MILLER SHEPARD.

lvitnessesz FRED Hnnunornn, VIOLA MAY BELLINGER.

